Are you using SOMEONE ELSE'S songs in worship?

If you are anything like me, you joined this site for at least PARTIALLY self-serving reasons.  I joined so that I could post my songs, get feedback, get heard.  Pure and simple.  As a result of the requirements of the songwriting forum, I have "had" to listen to several other people's songs.  Some have been good, some have been so-so, a few have been great.  And I have used none of them in worship at my church.

 

I think there can be a temptation to use only the songs in church that are familiar or can be heard on the radio.  This can be crippling, however, as there are so many good songs out there that will never make it to the radio.  But some of those songs may be a perfect fit for your congregation in its present season.

 

Personally, I've used my own songs quite a bit.  But I've also found a few songs that are off the beaten path.  Billy and Cindy Foote have written a lot of great songs, but most have never been heard (except "You Are My King" and "Sing to the King" and "You Are God Alone").  But there seems to be a tendency to use only what is on the CCLI Top 100 or the Christian radio top 40.

 

I want to issue a challenge.  Over the course of the next month, make a goal of finding someone ELSE'S song on this website, learning it, and introducing it to your congregation.  Don't do this arbitrarily.  There are a lot of good songs out there, find one that fits.  Then, as an encouragement to the songwriter, shoot them an email letting them know how it went over in your church.

 

Who is with me?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on January 27, 2010 at 4:50pm
Sounds good to me. Just a thought, maybe we could all choose the same song from the site, that way it would soon be known throughout the world. I'm up for it. God Bless. Lorraine
Permalink Reply by Doug Lane on January 27, 2010 at 4:51pm
Well, sure, but not everyone's situation will necessarily be the same as each congregation is likely going through something different. Still, why not post back here with which songs you are using.
Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on January 27, 2010 at 5:04pm
Do you mean songs I have written - 'cos I aint got any. It just struck me, what a lovely vision, everyone on Worship The Rock taking up the challenge of learning a song someone has put on here - it could be one of your songs, as you came up with the idea. It's something I personally would love to do, and something to tell the grandchildren about in years to come. I realise everyone's situation is not the same, but that's where the challenge lies - not impossible.
Permalink Reply by Doug Lane on January 27, 2010 at 5:08pm
Actually, my challenge is specifically to find SOMEONE ELSE'S song on this site. Something that you yourself did not write. So my challenge to myself is to find a song that I did not write and use it. This is as much of a challenge for me as anyone. In a way, weaning myself out of my self-centeredness.
Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on January 27, 2010 at 5:33pm
I realise my comments are not what you were asking in your thread, it was just something that popped into my head while reading and I felt compelled to reply - forgive me for getting off track (I still like the thought though). I would be happy to do anyone else's song, as it would be a challenge for me also, as I have become a tad lazy and haven't learned any new one's in a while, and it's challenges that keep me on my toes.
Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on January 30, 2010 at 3:29pm
I thank you kindly, of course, the feeling is mutual. When I first came on the site I had terrible trouble saying what I wanted to say, it seemed to come out all wrong, and a mutual friend (who shall remain nameless - but you know who you are: )) advised me that 'less is always more', and I have stuck to that. Thanks 'R'. Still get it wrong some of the time and get misunderstood some of the time, but still perservering. I have become much more able to take criticism and much more confident in giving my opinion, not saying I am right by any means, just not so afraid to express an opinion.

God Bless. Lorraine

ps. You may regret your comment should I ever get around to putting a photo on : )
Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on January 30, 2010 at 5:03pm
You're doing just fine, Lorraine. - Keep the comments coming. :)
Permalink Reply by Priscilla B. Martinez on February 2, 2010 at 5:03pm
lol...
Love you, too, Lorraine!

=)
Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on January 27, 2010 at 7:23pm
I think this is a great challenge, Doug. Thanks for bringing it to us. Yes, we are a lazy bunch at times, and going through the playlists of the different members is much more time consuming that listening to the top 40 at CCLI. But you're right, there are going to be some gems that we've been missing and it's only right that we seek them out.

If everyone will post the ones on this forum that they find, I think that will spur us on, not only to use that song, but to look for others as well.
Permalink Reply by Doug Lane on January 27, 2010 at 8:06pm
Right now, I think a top contender for me is Todd Vaters' "Praise You". Rarely have I found a song of praise that has made me this happy just from singing it. The melody is infectious in a good way. I LOVE this song. I think I'll try it out tonight at our Wednesday night Bible study. They are usually a good test crowd. My ONLY concern with this song is that the words in the verse fly by so quickly that it takes practice to sing... We'll see whether I use it tonight or on another evening.
Permalink Reply by Doug Lane on January 30, 2010 at 2:37am
Tried the song with the worship team last night. They dug it. I'm going to try it next Wednesday. How are the rest of you doing?
Permalink Reply by Charles Wolff on January 30, 2010 at 2:29pm
I'm not leading a group right now, but when I was, we definitely did use songs by unknown writers from the internet (this is before WtR existed). Some of the ones I liked best, which you may or may not be able to find somewhere on the internet -

Tom Strahle - "Almighty Lord", "By the Grace of God", "In the Arms of Jesus"
Rob des Cotes - "Broken for Me", "Found In You". "Jesus Is Born"
Maureen Pranghofer - "Come to Me", "Focus Prayer", "Recreate Me"
Jack Moraine - "Endless Praise"
John Green, "Still", "Walk in the Light"
Kim Gentes, "We Want to Be in Your Presence Lord", "I Love You Alone"

Maureen Pranghofer has an amazing life story, too...

Anyway... a lot of these may be a bit out of date, but these are songs that we used a few years ago, and if these people are still writing and I needed music, I'd be looking at their stuff... I realize that's not what the challenge is, but, yeah, we used to use stuff like this and I'd make a point of letting the songwriter know we used their song.

I was also always open when somebody in our church would come to me and say "this song was written by someone from my previous church. could we do it here?" Most of these didn't make it into the permanent rotation, but we'd use them for two or three months, at least.

I'm afraid I haven't been following the songwriters group on WtR, but I'm sure there are good songs on there, too...

Charles

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